Head shaving
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Monk_shaves_off_the_head_gives.jpg/200px-Monk_shaves_off_the_head_gives.jpg)
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Head shaving is the practice of shaving the hair from a person's head. People throughout history have shaved all or part of their heads for diverse reasons including practicality, convenience, fashion, style, religion, aesthetics, culture, and punishment.
Early history[]
The earliest historical records describing head shaving are from ancient Mediterranean cultures such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Egyptian priest class ritualistically removed all hair from head to toe by plucking it.
Contexts[]
Military[]
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The practice of shaving heads has been used in the military. Although sometimes explained as being for hygiene reasons, the image of strict and disciplined conformity is also accepted as a factor. Upon the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, many soldiers chose to have their heads completely shaved to deny the defending Nazis something to grab onto if they found themselves in hand-to-hand combat. For the new recruit, it can be a rite of passage, and variations become a badge of honor.
The militaries of the United States, Russia, and several other countries welcome their recruits by giving them haircuts using hair clippers with no guard attached. As of 2011, a shaved head continued to be the standard haircut in the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, and Coast Guard of the U.S. during basic training; upon graduation, grooming restrictions are relaxed in accordance with each service's regulations. There have been traditions spawned from this, such as shaving one's head when a service member enters the Mediterranean Sea by ship for the first time (known as "Med Head").[citation needed].
In Greece, this practice was abolished on 25 June 1982, when the military started allowing recruits to have up to 4 cm of hair. Before then, the regulation haircut in the Greek Army for recruits was en hro (an archaic phrase for "shaved to the bone").[citation needed]
Prison and punishment[]
![photograph](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1971-041-10%2C_Paris%2C_der_Kollaboration_beschuldigte_Franz%C3%B6sinnen.jpg/250px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1971-041-10%2C_Paris%2C_der_Kollaboration_beschuldigte_Franz%C3%B6sinnen.jpg)
Prisoners commonly have their heads shaven to prevent the spread of lice, but it may also be used as a demeaning measure. Having the head shaved can be a punishment prescribed in law.[1] The Nazis punished people accused of racial mixing by parading them through the streets with shaved heads and placards around their necks detailing their crime.[2]
During and after World War II, thousands of French women had their heads shaved in front of cheering crowds as punishment for either collaborating with the Nazis or having sexual relationships with Nazi soldiers during the war.[3][4][5] Some Finnish women also had their heads shaved for allegedly having relationships with Soviet POWs during the war.[6]
Religious[]
Many Buddhists and Vaisnavas, especially Hare Krishnas, shave their heads. Some Hindu and most Buddhist monks and nuns shave their heads upon entering their order, and Buddhist monks and nuns in Korea have their heads shaved every 15 days.[7] Muslim men have the choice of shaving their head after performing the Umrah and Hajj, following the tradition of committing to Allah, but are not required to keep it permanently shaved.
Hasidic Jewish men will occasionally shave all of their head except for the sides to emphasize their payot (sidelocks). In certain Hasidic sects, most famously Satmar, married women shave their head every month before immersion in the mikveh (ritual bath).
Class[]
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Throughout much of the 20th century in many Western countries, head shaving was considered somewhat unusual or lower-class.[by whom?] Head shaving was often associated with manual workers such as sailors, dockers, and soldiers, as well as with prisoners and hospital patients.[citation needed] In contrast, ancient Mayan nobles shaved their heads.[8][9]
Sport[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Mo_Farah_Daegu_2011.jpg/180px-Mo_Farah_Daegu_2011.jpg)
Competitive swimmers often shave their body from head to toe to reduce drag while swimming. The same may also be true for sprinters, joggers, and other runners.
Baldness[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Michael_Jordan_in_2014.jpg/170px-Michael_Jordan_in_2014.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Steve_Austin_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/170px-Steve_Austin_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg)
People suffering from hair loss may shave their heads in order to look more presentable, be more convenient, or adhere to a certain style or fashion movement. Those with alopecia areata or pattern baldness often choose to shave, which has rapidly become a more common choice since the 1990s.[10] It has also become more common for bald men to accessorize with small hoop or stud earrings, a look famously adopted by figures such as basketball player Michael Jordan and professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin upon shaving their heads in the 1990s.[11]
Notable people[]
This list focuses only on individuals who are notable in mainstream pop culture and for whom a shaved head is an important part of their public image.
- Andre Agassi, tennis player[12]
- Kurt Angle, professional wrestler and Olympic gold medalist[13]
- Stone Cold Steve Austin, professional wrestler[14]
- Charles Barkley, basketball player[15]
- David Bateson, actor[16]
- Jeff Bezos, entrepreneur[17]
- Kobe Bryant, basketball player[18]
- Yul Brynner, actor[19]
- Bill Burr, comedian[20]
- Dave Chappelle, comedian[21]
- Michael Chiklis, actor[22]
- Phil Collins, musician[23]
- Billy Corgan, musician[24]
- Terry Crews, actor[25]
- Chris Daughtry, musician[26]
- Vin Diesel, actor[27]
- Taye Diggs, actor[28]
- Domenico Dolce, co-founder of Dolce & Gabbana[29]
- Tyson Fury, boxer[30]
- Peter Gabriel, musician[31]
- Tyrese Gibson, actor[32]
- Pep Guardiola, soccer manager[33]
- Triple H, professional wrestler[34]
- Rob Halford, musician[35]
- Phil Heath, bodybuilder[36]
- Evander Holyfield, boxer[37]
- LL Cool J, rapper and actor[38]
- Samuel L. Jackson, highest-grossing actor of all time[39][40]
- Dwayne Johnson, actor and professional wrestler[41]
- Magic Johnson, basketball player[42]
- Michael Jordan, basketball player[43]
- Maynard James Keenan, musician[44]
- Anton LaVey, founder of the Satanic Church[45]
- Keegan-Michael Key, comedian[46]
- Ben Kingsley, actor[47]
- Floyd Mayweather, boxer[48]
- Moby, musician[49]
- Dean Norris, actor[50]
- Shaquille O'Neal, basketball player[51]
- Pitbull, rapper[52]
- Ving Rhames, actor[53]
- Flo Rida, rapper[54]
- Joe Rogan, comedian[55]
- Telly Savalas, actor[56]
- Tupac Shakur, rapper[57]
- Brian Shaw, four-time World's Strongest Man[58]
- Big Show, professional wrestler[59]
- Kelly Slater, surfer[60]
- Jason Statham, actor[61]
- Patrick Stewart, actor[62]
- Michael Stipe, musician[63]
- Corey Stoll, actor[64]
- Mark Strong, actor[65]
- Stanley Tucci, actor[66]
- Dana White, president of the UFC[67]
- Bruce Willis, actor[68]
- Zinedine Zidane, soccer player[69]
Fiction[]
In modern fiction, shaved heads are often associated with characters who display a stern and disciplined or hardcore attitude. Examples include those played by Yul Brynner, Vin Diesel, Telly Savalas (Kojak), Bruce Willis (James Cole, John McClane and David Dunn) Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu, John Shaft and Nick Fury), and Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), as well as characters such as Walter White, Mr. Clean, Kratos, Agent 47, and Saitama. Baldness is sometimes an important part of these characters' biographies; for example, Saitama lost all of his hair in exchange for receiving his superpowers. Shaved heads are also often associated with villains in fiction, such as Lex Luthor, Colonel Kurtz, and Ernst Stavro Blofeld. A notable exception is Daddy Warbucks.
A goatee, usually of the Van Dyke variety, is often worn to complement the look or add sophistication; this look was widely popularized in the mid-to-late 1990s by professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin. For the majority of the crime drama series Breaking Bad, often regarded as one of the greatest TV series of all time,[70] the aforementioned Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) wore a Van Dyke with a shaved head, contributing to the character's iconic status.[71]
In futuristic settings, shaved heads are often associated with bland uniformity, especially in sterile settings such as V for Vendetta and THX 1138.[72] In the 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis, hundreds of extras had their heads shaved to represent the oppressed masses of a future dystopia.
It is less common for female characters to have shaved heads, though some actresses have shaved their heads[73] or used bald caps[74] for roles.
Skinhead and other subcultures[]
In the 1960s, some British working-class youths developed the skinhead subculture, whose members were distinguished by short cropped hair (although they did not shave their heads down to the scalp at the time). This look was partly influenced by the Jamaican rude boy style.[75][76] It was not until the skinhead revival in the late 1970s—with the appearance of punk-influenced Oi! skinheads—that many skinheads started shaving their hair right down to the scalp. Head shaving has also appeared in other youth-oriented subcultures such as the hardcore, black metal, metalcore, nu metal, hip hop, techno, and neo-nazi scenes.
Sexuality and gender[]
A sexual fetish involving head shaving is called trichophilia. While a shaved head on a man is often seen as a sign of authority and virility, a shaved head on a woman typically connotes androgyny, especially when combined with traditionally feminine signifiers. It may, but does not always, express membership in the LGBT community; gay men sometimes incorporate a shaven head into their overall look, particularly amongst the bear subculture. Those with the stereotypical "Castro clone" look commonly shave their heads in order to project a homoerotic, ultra-masculine image. Drag queens have sometimes adopted shaved heads to express a genderqueer image. In the BDSM community, shaving a submissive or slave's head is often used to demonstrate powerlessness or submission to the will of a dominant.
Fundraising and support[]
Cancer[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/46_mommas_shave.jpg/220px-46_mommas_shave.jpg)
Baldness is a well-known side effect of the chemotherapy often used to treat cancer, and some people shave their heads before undergoing such treatment; some people chose to shave their heads in solidarity with cancer sufferers, particularly as part of a fundraising effort.
Covhead-19 Challenge[]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries imposed strict lockdown procedures and actively encouraged members of the public to self-isolate. Many people, particularly men, initially began to shave their heads as a way of fighting boredom during lockdown and because they were unable to have their hair cut due to all barber shops being closed.[77] In the UK, a fundraising effort began to support the NHS, which suffered from the enormous pressure of the pandemic. The effort was started on Just Giving with a goal of £100,000; dubbed the "Covhead-19 Challenge", it encouraged people to shave their heads whilst also donating money to the NHS. Various celebrities have also taken part.[78]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Article 87 ... shall be sentenced to flogging, having his head shaven, and one year of exile ...", The Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- ^ Richard J. Evans (2006). The Third Reich in Power. Penguin Books. p. 540. ISBN 978-0-14-100976-6.
- ^ "Shaved Heads and Marked Bodies: Representations From Cultures of Trauma" Kristine Stiles, Duke University (1993) Duke.edu
- ^ ""An Ugly Carnival", The Guardian". Theguardian.com. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France", ISBN 978-1-85973-584-8
- ^ "Ryssän heilat ja pikku-Iivanat" (in Finnish)
- ^ Geraldine A. Larkin, First You Shave Your Head, Celestial Arts (2001), ISBN 1-58761-009-4
- ^ Ulrike Blume-Peytavi; David A. Whiting; Ralph M. Trüeb, eds. (2008). Hair Growth and Disorders (illustrated ed.). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 535. ISBN 978-3-540-46911-7. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ Ulrike Blume-Peytavi; David A. Whiting; Ralph M. Trüeb, eds. (2008). Hair Growth and Disorders (illustrated ed.). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 535. ISBN 978-3-540-46911-7. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ "John Travolta proudly debuts bald head on red carpet after years of wearing wigs". Metro News. 27 January 2019.
- ^ Benedictus, Leo (2 February 2013). "The 10 rules for bald men". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
- ^ "Andre Agassi Wants Dudes to Embrace Being Bald". Yahoo!. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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- ^ "Men who look better with a shaved head". The Telegraph. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Price, Robert (15 November 2016). "Bald Comic Bill Burr Offers Funny, Inspirational, No-BS Advice to a Balding 19-Year-Old (With Audio Clip)". Hair Loss Daily. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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- ^ Basner, Dave (17 March 2017). "10 Things You Might Not Know about Birthday Boy Billy Corgan". IHeart Radio. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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- ^ "See What Chris Daughtry Looked Like with Hair!". Toofab. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Matthews, Stephen (16 September 2017). "Is this why Vin Diesel has sex appeal? Bald men more masculine, says study". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Lewinski, John Scott (23 October 2015). "4 Guys Who Went Bald Before 30 Tell You Why It Doesn't Matter". Men's Health. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Marriott, Hannah (21 March 2015). "Dolce and Gabbana are unafraid of spats, but baby spat divides fans". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Richard (6 April 2020). "The Bald Icons: Who is Tyson Fury?". The Bald Brothers. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Peter Gabriel: What a Difference Two Decades Make". GenesisFan. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ {{cite web|url=https://www.theodysseyonline.com/best-bald-men |title=10 Men Who Change The Way We Look At Hair Loss |work=Theodysseyonline.com |date=15 August 2018
- ^ "The hairy reality of balding sportsmen – from Tiger Woods to Gareth Bale". The Telegraph. 22 March 2017.
- ^ Cox, Danny (23 November 2018). "WWE News: Shawn Michaels Reveals The Real Reason He No Longer Has Any Hair". Inquisitr. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "When rock stars go bald". NME. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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- ^ Berger, Phil (14 April 1991). "BOXING; Holyfield: Looking for Respect". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "CBS Sick Of Paying For Bald LL COOL J's Haircuts: EXCLUSIVE". Naughty Gossip. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Lee, Chris (1 July 2016). "Samuel L. Jackson's Hair Is His Best Co-Star". GQ. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Abramovitch, Seth (9 January 2019). "120 Movies, $13 Billion in Box Office: How Samuel L. Jackson Became Hollywood's Most Bankable Star". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Bryant, Kenzie (3 April 2017). "Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Explains Why He's Bald". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
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- ^ Gaines, Cork (17 April 2020). "Michael Jordan once turned down a huge endorsement deal because he didn't like the product's name and another one because he was going bald". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Hickie, James. "Maynard James Keenan: "If You're Going To Put On Make-Up And Wear Stupid Wigs You Have To Understand The 'Wanker' Comments Are Coming"". Kerrang!. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Gambacorta, David (12 January 2020). "Satan, the FBI, the Mob—and the Forgotten Plot to Kill Ted Kennedy". POLITICO. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Smith, Zadie (16 February 2015). "Key and Peele's Comedy Partnership". The New Yorker. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Steele, Francesca (19 April 2014). "Ferdinand Kingsley interview: 'Yeah, but mum's dad was totally bald too!'". Spectator. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Dator, James (16 May 2016). "Floyd Mayweather, who has no hair, spends up to $3,000 a week on haircuts". SBNation.com.
- ^ Meadley, Phil (26 October 2006). "Moby: how rave culture made him lose his hair". The Independent. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Schilling, Mary Kaye (11 August 2013). "Dean Norris on the Breaking Bad Premiere, Hank's Machismo, and Bryan Cranston's Overachiever E-mails". Vulture. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Boren, Cindy (4 March 2020). "Shaq has a hilarious hairline after losing a bet to Dwyane Wade". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Oswald, Anjelica (5 February 2019). "John Travolta opened up about embracing his baldness, and says Pitbull convinced him to go for it". Insider. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Bibby, Patricia (10 July 1996). "Ving Rhames Found It Easy To Bulk Up For Role". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (21 September 2011). "Flo Rida Goes Bald for His Birthday Party in Miami". PopCrush. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Podcast Page (24 June 2016). "Joe Rogan on being bald". YouTube. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ ROBERTS, VIDA (26 October 1995). "A Clean Pate Good and bald: It's a sign of the times and maybe a sign of much more as men move beyond hair". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ https://www.quora.com/Why-is-2Pac-bald
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLkV1VGqYP8
- ^ Parsons, Jim (15 June 2018). "Other Superstars Who Shaved Their Heads Before Baron Corbin". TheSportster. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Cave, James (4 April 2016). "Going Bald Was The Best Thing To Happen To These Guys' Heads". HuffPost. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Huynh, Mike (24 July 2019). "Jason Statham Is Showing Bald Men How To Look Stylishly Masculine". DMARGE. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Parker, Ryan (24 March 2017). "Patrick Stewart's Tale of Accepting His Baldness Involves a Physical Altercation with a Judo Master". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Lynskey, Dorian (2 November 2007). "Interview: Michael Stipe". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Rapkin, Mickey (4 August 2015). "Corey Stoll: Shaving My Head Was a Game Changer". ELLE. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Oakeley, Lucas (27 July 2017). "The many hairstyles of Mark Strong". Esquire Middle East. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Shaw, Gabbi (7 August 2019). "11 celebrities who are now rocking the bald look". Insider. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Geller, Sarah (16 July 2013). "The 100 Most Powerful Bald Men in the World". GQ. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Friedman, Michael (27 March 2015). "Thank You, Bruce Willis, For Making Bald Beautiful". HuffPost. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Will (5 March 2020). "The Bald Icons: Who is Zinedine Zidane?". The Bald Brothers. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Sources that refer to Breaking Bad being praised as one of the greatest television shows of all time include:
- Moore, Frazier (18 December 2013). "2013 brought surprises, good and bad, to viewers". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- St. John, Allen (16 September 2013). "Why 'Breaking Bad' Is The Best Show Ever And Why That Matters". Forbes. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- Bianculli, David (23 December 2013). "Great New DVD Box Sets: Blasts From The Past And 'Breaking Bad'". NPR. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- "2013′s 10 Best and Worst TV Shows, From Good 'Breaking Bad' to Bad 'Broke Girls'". Yahoo TV. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- Hickey, Walter (29 September 2013). "Breaking Bad Is The Greatest Show Ever Made". Business Insider. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- Lawson, Richard (13 July 2012). "The Case for 'Breaking Bad' as Television's Best Show". The Wire. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- Ryan, Maureen (11 July 2012). "'Breaking Bad': Five Reasons It's One of TV's All-Time Greats". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ Stahl, Jeremy (27 September 2013). "Gateway Episodes: Breaking Bad". Slate.
- ^ Lucia Bozzola (2014). "THX 1138". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 2014-03-01.
- ^ Matt Bagwell, A Bald Move ... From Britney Spears To Karen Gillan: 20 Female Celebs Who Have Shaved Off Their Hair, The Huffington Post, 22 July 2013
- ^ For example, Christine Taylor in a Friends episode, according to The New York Times article on her
- ^ Old Skool Jim. Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set liner notes. London: Trojan Records. TJETD169.
- ^ Marshall, George (1991). Spirit of '69 – A Skinhead Bible. S.T. Publishing.
- ^ "Why are so many people shaving their heads?"
- ^ "Coronavirus: What is the 'Covhead challenge' and which celebrities have taken part?". The Independent. 30 March 2020.
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